Nick Kolor, 25, who teaches people how to breathe underwater in the Florida Keys, chose to make an even bigger leap: he donated one of his kidneys to a stranger. Kolor says he wanted to give simply because someone else needed it — “I decided it really was impossible to justify not giving up the kidney. I don’t need it. Someone else does.” He told reporters he hoped his choice would inspire others.
Kolor’s kidney went to nine-year-old Aaron, who had waited three years for a lifesaving transplant. Doctors at Memorial Regional described the donor as “true altruistic” — a selfless person who wanted to help without expecting anything in return. After surgery the two met briefly, exchanging smiles and a thumbs-up; Aaron’s family reported he was recovering well, and the pair planned to reunite again soon.
Kolor has launched the Spare Parts Project to encourage more people to consider living donation. “Donate life. Give a piece of yourself,” he said, urging others to think about the impact a single donor can have on someone’s life.
Transplant surgeons note that altruistic donors touch the medical community and patients alike. Kolor’s decision highlights both the need for more donors and the possibilities of living donation, when healthy people give one kidney to someone in need. His story has drawn attention because it combines simple altruism with a direct, life-changing result for a child who had been on the waiting list for years.
